FINISHED!

What an exhiliarating few minutes!! Dr. Botha has finished the Furnace 508! This is an absolutely incredible accomplishment! WOW!

I asked Arlene to text me just before he crossed the finish line so that I could watch live on the website's webcam and it was incredible to see him finish! He walked over to the camera and waved. I was able to watch him get his medal. I could not be more proud! GO DAD!

Woooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

Here are a couple of pics from the finish line courtesty of Chris Kostman and the Furnace Creek 508 website.

Finally at the Last Stage!

Dr. Botha is at the beginning of the final stage of the race! This is so very exciting! Thanks for all your support!

Stage Eight Around the Corner...

Although he's exhausted with an extremely sore rear end, there is no thought of stopping for Dr. Botha! He is nearing the end of Stage seven and the final stretch is (THANKFULLY) downhill! I've been sending his messages of support to Arlene via text message and she says they are helping his resolve. He has just had a big burst of energy. Whether it's the messages or the energy gel packs, we'll never know ;-)

Butterfly (also known as Andi Ramer) is still nearby and looking for her first 508 finish as a solo cyclist!

Both of you can do it!

In Stage Seven

Dr. Botha is now in Stage seven of the race! There are only eight stages in total! Lots of snakes are being reported on the road and the going is beyond tough, but he keeps going!

Still Going Strong...

Over half the riders have dropped out at this point but Dr. Botha is still going strong. It's going to be a loooong night!

Leg Six and a Phonecall!

Dr. Botha is into leg six and doing very well. I was able to talk to him for a few minutes and he sounds tired (obviously) but enthusiastic! I relayed all the messages of luck and strength from this blog and Facebook. He was very thankful!

At this point many people have dropped from the race, but he is still going strong. He has about 200 km left to go and Arlene says another racer with the Totem Butterfly has been keeping them company on the road. All the best to her and her team as well!!

The heat is sitting at close to 40 degrees Celcius and is making things difficult. Hopefully it will cool down soon. Keep Dr. Botha in your thoughts and prayers! Thanks!

In Stage Five!

Dr. Botha is in stage five of eight in this race! He is doing incredibly well and he is still feeling strong. The heat, however, is starting to climb. It is around 90 degrees (32 Celcius) and it's not even the afternoon yet! Keeping cool is going to be a major challenge.

Go Dr. Botha! Go Arno! Go DAD!

Over 24 hours down!

This incredible race continues with over 27 hours down! Dr. Botha has finished 325 miles so far and the pace is slowing thanks to some intense uphill terrain. Last night brought an impressive lightening storm to the area and left the roads in a bit of a mess for the riders first thing this morning.

I have just received word that Dr. Botha is way ahead of his previous times and that he is doing incredibly well! This is very exciting news!

The messages of support on this blog and on Facebook are being relayed to him and they are keeping him encouraged and working hard. Please keep sending them even if you have sent one already! They are needed.

I found some more pics on the website. These are courtesy of Chris Kostman and the 508 website. Go Dr. Botha!

Finished Stage Two...

Dr. Botha finished stage two around 6 p.m. He had a quick change of clothing and something to eat. At this point, he is averaging 24 km per hour! His spirits are still high!! Hopefully we'll have some more photos to show you soon.

First Time Station Passed!

Dr. Botha passed the first time station in five hours! Stay tuned to this space for more updates!

...and they're off!

The Furnace Creek 508 started this morning bright and early! Dr. Botha was in very high spirits last night and said he felt strong and ready. Race organizers are keeping us updated and have posted quite a few photos already. Here are a few from the start of the race.

Every racer has to have a Totem and Dr. Botha's is Bush Buck. This photo is courtesy of Ron Jones and the Furnace 508 website. It was taken at registration yesterday.



The race started with a lot of anticipation! Thanks to Wayne Kostman and the Furnace 508 website for this photo of the starting line...



The following photos are courtesy of Doug Sloan and the Furncase Creek website as well. Thank you for providing those of us at home with a sneak peek!






Go Dr. Botha!!! We are so proud and excited for you!

The Toughest 48 Hours in Sports!

It's known world-wide as the toughest 48 hours in sports and Dr. Botha will be there to compete in the Furncase 508 tomorrow in California! The race is a grueling cycling event in which riders have only 48 hours to cycle 508 miles. This invite-only event features the top athletes from around the world and is one of the most difficult endurance events in the world. Some claim it is THE most difficult. Find out more about it at http://www.the508.com/

Starting tomorrow at 8 a.m., Dr. Botha will be among the competitors battling blood, sweat and tears for a finish. Miss a check-point and you are disqualified! Although he has been training for numerous hours each day, this will still be a VERY difficult event. There is very little time for refuelling the body via nutrition or sleep.

Please keep your eyes on this blog for updates and any well-wishes can be sent to Dr. Botha at anbotha@telus.net. He loves getting messages from supporters and cherishes each and every one. We sure appreciate all the suppport!!!

GO DR. BOTHA! YOU CAN DO IT!